City Council special meeting discusses police reform

Hunter
06/17/20

In a meeting that went well into the night, the Iowa City City Council met to discuss demands on police reform from the Iowa Freedom Riders group.

The Freedom Riders are demanding changes within the Iowa City Police Department sparked by racial injustice and the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. The Daily Iowan reports that some councilors disagreed on the severity of the language in the Freedom Riders demands, but Mayor Pro Tem Mazahir Salih said “the language should be there.”

The Council came up with a draft resolution, drafted by Councilor Laura Bergus, that calls for more community policing and un-armed response regarding nonviolent situations.

They’re also discussing a $1million initiative to promote racial equity and social justice in the city.

The council set a goal of December 15th to finalize their plans.